Retro Wood

July 6th, 2011

Text by Jason Mulligan

Photos by Jason Mulligan and Status

Adding the Bed Wood Touch to a Custom F-150

A wood bed floor can add a great retro, hot rod touch to a late-model truck. Bed Wood & Parts offer wood floor kits for a variety of truck models from to 2011. More than 40 different varieties of woods and finishes are available, everything from domestic wood to exotic species, ash to zebra wood is available. Stainless steel rails connect the wood pieces and utilize hidden fasteners to secure them to your bed floor. The company’s RetroLiner is a new option for late-model trucks. It comes with each piece pre-cut, milled, sanded and ready for staining, varnishing and installation. For our application, a custom ‘05 Ford F-150 being built over at Status in Rockwall, Texas, we opted for Cypress wood, chosen for its slight red hue and subtle grain.

The F-150 in question has been ‘bagged and body dropped, so the bed floor was raised and outfitted with wheel tubs and smoothed sheet metal before Rhino lining was added. Because of this, a custom bed wood floor would have to be created using a universal kit from Bed Wood & Parts. A lot of mock up, cutting and test fitting will be necessary before the final installation is complete. The end result is an eye-catching custom look that adds a retro touch to a modern truck.

Here is the Bed Wood kit, including pre-milled and sanded planks of Cypress wood, along with the stainless steel strips.

The first stage of mock up is to figure out what planks need to be cut and modified to fit around the wheel tubs. Place all of the planks on the bed floor starting from the center plank that features the Bed Wood logo and move outwards.

Use a stainless strip to properly space out the planks to each side. You can see where and how much of the last large plank needs to be cut. Measure and mark the underside of the plank.

Use a stainless strip to properly space out the planks to each side. You can see where and how much of the last large plank needs to be cut. Measure and mark the underside of the plank.

Use a stainless strip to properly space out the planks to each side. You can see where and how much of the last large plank needs to be cut. Measure and mark the underside of the plank.

Justin trims the wood on a table saw up to the point of the rounded corner.

The rounded corner for the wheel tub is cut using a steady hand and a jigsaw.

Jake routers the outside bottom edge of the plank. The bed floor is made of smooth sheet metal so the corners have been seam sealed before topping the bed off with Rhino Lining. Routing the edge ensures a nice fit against the seam sealer.

The cut plank is test fit once again, and the planks are put in place to determine how much to cut from the opposite plank.

The cut plank is test fit once again, and the planks are put in place to determine how much to cut from the opposite plank.

A small sliver of a plank will need to be cut for the final side pieces. Measure, cut and test fit. It is best to sand the edge down bit by bit until you get the perfect fit.

A small sliver of a plank will need to be cut for the final side pieces. Measure, cut and test fit. It is best to sand the edge down bit by bit until you get the perfect fit.

Router the bottom outside edge of the plank for the perfect fit.

The next step is to cut the planks and stainless strips down to fit in the bed.

This is done by laying out all of the planks and strips and then measuring and trimming them one by one for the perfect fit.

This is done by laying out all of the planks and strips and then measuring and trimming them one by one for the perfect fit.

This is done by laying out all of the planks and strips and then measuring and trimming them one by one for the perfect fit.

This is done by laying out all of the planks and strips and then measuring and trimming them one by one for the perfect fit.

The bottom edges of the front of the planks are routered because they butt up against the front wall of the bed.

The rest of the planks are measured, cut and routered one by one, keeping the order of each plank intact.

The rest of the planks are measured, cut and routered one by one, keeping the order of each plank intact.

The rest of the planks are measured, cut and routered one by one, keeping the order of each plank intact.

The stainless steel mounting strips are the next to be measured and cut

The stainless steel mounting strips are the next to be measured and cut

The gas door has been shaved on this F-150 as shown in ST Dec. 2009. It was relocated into the center of the bed floor. We will use the supplied billet gas filler. First, find the center of the middle plank to mark and cut the hole for the gas filler.

The gas door has been shaved on this F-150 as shown in ST Dec. 2009. It was relocated into the center of the bed floor. We will use the supplied billet gas filler. First, find the center of the middle plank to mark and cut the hole for the gas filler.

The gas door has been shaved on this F-150 as shown in ST Dec. 2009. It was relocated into the center of the bed floor. We will use the supplied billet gas filler. First, find the center of the middle plank to mark and cut the hole for the gas filler.

A hole saw is used to cut a hole in the wood plank for the gas filler.

An adjustable rabbit bit is used so that the gas filler will mount flush with the wood.

The gas filler neck is screwed in place to the Bed Wood plank.

A screwdriver is used to locate the rubber filler neck from the fuel cell and push the filler neck into it.

Here is the finished gas filler and smooth pop-up cap.

The cut planks and strips are pulled back out in order to mount the planks permanently using the supplied hidden fasteners. Mark and drill holes along the strips.

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